High Expectations
by CrimsonFlowers
Summary: Levy likes Gajeel. She can definitely admit that. But Gajeel is so fierce, while she is so. . . not. And how can she find out his feelings if he keeps ending their conversations? Well, her best friends can help with that.


**First GaLe ever! I finally managed to come up with something stupid :D (lol it's not stupid) Well, it's mostly Levy and some Gajeel. . . Oh whatever, too late to change the character thing. **

**Well anyway, ENJOY!**

* * *

Why was he just so. . . Gajeel? Levy rubbed the edges of the page with her thumb and forefingers. Rough. The pages weren't truly smooth, the pages of a book had tiny particles that were prickly. Who knew?

Like who knew that Gajeel had once been a part of Phantom Lord? Who knew that he was the person who had kidnapped her, Droy, and Jet and painted their guild mark onto their stomaches? Who knew he was the person that hung Team Shadow Gear onto a tree, with each of them knocked unconscious? And who knew. . . she stared blankly at the words that were printed across the paper. _Who knew she would fall so hard for him?_

At first, Levy had been completely repulsed? Why would Master Makarov let such a monster into the guild of Fairy Tail? Sure, he was skillful, and a dragon slayer just like Natsu Dragneel. And maybe his iron magic was very powerful. But what about the past? She knew that butterflies had fluttered in her stomach when she saw Gajeel Redfox at the guild hq doors. It was exasperating, to be attracted to such a person with animalistic characteristics. She thought long and hard, and she hadn't noticed that her red-rimmed glasses had tilted to the side. Grumbling, she adjusted the glasses and centered them. She returned to pondering.

Why was it so impossible to strike up a conversation with the iron dragon slayer? Whenever she squeaked out a "Hi", Gajeel would say, "Oh, it's you shrimp." and go back to what ever he was doing. It drove Levy off a cliff.

"Levy!" The voices of her teammates sang, interrupting her thoughts.

Levy rubbed her temples, and looked up wearily. "What?"

Jet had a maniacal grin on his face, that was much similar to Natsu's. Droy was. . . chubby, as usual, with a bucket of fried chicken placed in his hands. He grabbed a chicken strip with his grubby fingers, and swallowed the entire thing whole.

"Are you ready to go on a new mission?" Jet held up a flyer in front of Levy's face. He shook the paper, and it omitted sounds that deeply irritated Levy.

"About that. . . " She rubbed the back of her head, trying to avoid their attentive eyes. "I'm really busy right now, I'm reading. . . a book." She pointed to the book that lay in front of her and laughed anxiously.

"But, Levy!" Droy's face loomed close to Levy's. His face was dotted with a vast amount of crumbs around his mouth. Levy tried her best not to cringe away.

"I know," She painted a sad smile onto her face. "But hey, I'll go with you guys. . . ." She trailed off. When wouldn't she be pondering about _him_? "Sometime soon!" she said cheerfully. She couldn't help but feel idiotic as she gave them her stupid grin.

"Okay. . . " Droy slumped, and his bucket full of chicken strips tilted. Two strips fell on the floor, but Levy didn't want to make matters worse.

"Let's to, Droy. . " Jet sighed, his arms crossed. He grabbed Droy's arm and they both walked out of the guild gloomily.

Levy stared as their figures disappeared in the distance. She lowered her eyes glumly. It was a pain to let down Shadow Gear a second time, they were all starting to run low on jewel, and if they didn't go on a quest soon, Levy would not be able to live in Fairy Hills. She blew out a puff of air and brushed a few locks of her blue hair behind her ear.

"Levy-chan!" Levy turned to see her best friend, Lucy Heartfilia.

She was grinning from ear to ear, her chocolate eyes shining. Her hair was tied up into two pigtails, and she wore her majestic blue-heart top with the long, fluttering sleeves. She wore her navy blue skirt, and of course, her belt with the celestial spirit keys hanging from it.

_Something good must have happened to her_, the bookworm thought. "Hey, Lu-chan!" She replied, a smile tugging at her lip. She couldn't help but admit that she was glad the celestial mage was here.

"Guess what? Guess what?" Lucy's eyes shined again. She was bouncing on her toes, and the excitement was evident on her face.

"What is it?" Levy asked curiously.

"Natsu. . ." Her cheeks flushed as she said the name. "Natsu asked me out!"

"Oh, Lu-chan!" Levy exclaimed, hugging Lucy. She was truly happy for her best friend. "That's great! So how did it happen?"

"Well, last night, he showed me this wonderful place! We had a perfect view of the moon, and the stars- oh my god, they were beautiful!" She squealed. Her hands were clasped, as she gazed up at the ceiling, perhaps recalling the night sky. "And. . . " She held a hand to her chest, her eyes closed. Her smile still showed as she continued, ". . . he asked me out."

"That. . . sounds beautiful, Lu-chan." Levy could feel her own happiness drowning in Lucy's. Why did it sound so simple? Lucy and Natsu clearly had chemistry, and they were so. . . perfect from the start. And compared to her relationship to Gajeel. . .

"Levy?" Lucy's face showed immense worry for the solid-script mage. "Are you alright? Is there something wrong?"

Levy blinked back tears. "I-I'm fine Lu-chan. . it's just that. . . "

"Oh, Levy-chan. . . " Lucy smiled sadly. "Were you thinking about Gajeel?"

"What?" Levy immediately stiffened. "N-No-"

"Oh, c'mon." The celestial wizard prodded her shoulder. "You can tell me anything, right?"

Levy sighed. "It's just. . . you have it so easy Lu-chan. Natsu and you are a perfect match. But Gajeel and I. . . " She averted her eyes, not meeting Lucy's gaze. "He's just so. . . rough. And I'm. . .weak."

"What?! Don't say that!" Lucy cried, grabbing Levy's shoulders. "Levy McGarden, you are amazing! And Gajeel would be lucky to have someone like you in his life!" She proclaimed, keeping a firm grip on Levy. She looked her straight in the eye. "Okay?"

Levy couldn't help but be stunned by her words. "You really think so?"

Lucy grinned and nodded rapidly.

"Oi, Lucy!" Natsu shouted from across the room. "I need to talk to ya!"

The celestial spirit mage's eyebrows creased in confusion. She looked at Levy. "I. . . I got to go. . " She said.

"Oh, just go Lu-chan," Levy said teasingly, giving her a little push.

Lucy glanced back at Levy with a tiny smile, and she ran to the other side of the headquarters. Levy's arms were folded in front of her torso as Lucy and Natsu both had grins on their faces. Levy chuckled as Lucy came back to her. "So what'd he say?"

The celestial mage opened her mouth to respond, but the fire dragon slayer called out, "Oh, just some things. . ." Natsu was dragging someone towards them. Levy squinted, placing a hand over her eyes. It was. . . Gajeel?!

"Oi, Salamandar, where are you dragging me?!" The iron dragon slayer yelled as Natsu continued to shove him forward. Gajeel finally spotted Levy and he tried to escape, but Natsu held up a fist in flames.

"I'll burn you."

Gajeel groaned, and palmed his own face.

They finally arrived, and Natsu wiped his forehead. "Phew! You're heavy. Levy, Metal-face has something to say to you." Natsu gestured to her and gave Gajeel a hard stare that said _DO IT_.

"Oh, god." Gajeel muttered as Lucy held a knuckle to her mouth and giggled.

Levy was currently having a hard time processing what exactly was happening.

"L-Levy?" Gajeel mumbled inaudibly. Natsu's eyebrows furrowed. He elbowed Gajeel in the stomach. "UH, LEVY," Gajeel said loudly, practically shouting. Levy could feel eyes turning and staring at them. She shifted her feet nervously.

"WILL YOU GO OUT WITH ME?"

Levy stared at him, jaw dropped. Had he just. . . . . asked her out? The animalistic, iron-eating, aggressive dragon slayer had just asked. Asked her out? Was she dreaming?

"So, Levy-chan. . " Lucy prompted her. "What do you say?"

Surely all her guild mates were looking at them expectantly.

He had said it. _Well, what else could she say? _"YES!" She screamed jumping and hugging the iron dragon slayer, squeezing him tightly.

"C-C-Can't b-b-r-eathe-" Gajeel choked out.

Natsu laughed out loud, and wrapped an arm around Lucy. He brought her close to him and whispered in her ear, "I told you it was a good idea."

"Yep," Lucy agreed happily, smiling at the sight of Gajeel blushing and Levy hugging him. "It was ingenious."

* * *

**I appreciate reviews!~**


End file.
